🍝 Pasta Vocab
Pasta names are mostly about shape. Long or short, hollow or flat, filled or not, the shape helps determine how sauce clings and whether the pasta is tossed, baked, or added to soup. The names below cover familiar pasta shapes and styles, along with a few pasta varieties that are especially useful to know.
🍝 Long Strands & Ribbons
🍝 Spaghetti
long, thin, round strands
Example: Spaghetti with tomato sauce is the default plate in many kitchens.
🇫🇷 French: Spaghetti
🇩🇪 German: Spaghetti
🇮🇹 Italian: Spaghetti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Espaguete
💡 Nuance: Round. Linguine is flattened. Capellini is much thinner.
long, thin, round strands
Example: Spaghetti with tomato sauce is the default plate in many kitchens.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Espaguetis🇫🇷 French: Spaghetti
🇩🇪 German: Spaghetti
🇮🇹 Italian: Spaghetti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Espaguete
💡 Nuance: Round. Linguine is flattened. Capellini is much thinner.
➖ Linguine
long, narrow pasta with a flattened oval shape
Example: Linguine alle vongole holds clam sauce better than round spaghetti.
🇫🇷 French: Linguine
🇩🇪 German: Linguine
🇮🇹 Italian: Linguine
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Linguine
💡 Nuance: Flat-ish strand, still narrow. Fettuccine is a wider ribbon.
long, narrow pasta with a flattened oval shape
Example: Linguine alle vongole holds clam sauce better than round spaghetti.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Linguine🇫🇷 French: Linguine
🇩🇪 German: Linguine
🇮🇹 Italian: Linguine
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Linguine
💡 Nuance: Flat-ish strand, still narrow. Fettuccine is a wider ribbon.
🎀 Fettuccine
long, flat, fairly thick ribbons
Example: Fettuccine Alfredo is built on a wide ribbon, not on spaghetti.
🇫🇷 French: Fettuccine
🇩🇪 German: Fettuccine
🇮🇹 Italian: Fettuccine
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fettuccine
💡 Nuance: Rome's ribbon. Tagliatelle is the northern cousin, usually a bit narrower and more egg-rich.
long, flat, fairly thick ribbons
Example: Fettuccine Alfredo is built on a wide ribbon, not on spaghetti.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Fettuccine🇫🇷 French: Fettuccine
🇩🇪 German: Fettuccine
🇮🇹 Italian: Fettuccine
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fettuccine
💡 Nuance: Rome's ribbon. Tagliatelle is the northern cousin, usually a bit narrower and more egg-rich.
🥚 Tagliatelle
long flat ribbons from northern Italy, often egg pasta
Example: Tagliatelle al ragù is the Bologna pairing, not spaghetti bolognese.
🇫🇷 French: Tagliatelle
🇩🇪 German: Tagliatelle
🇮🇹 Italian: Tagliatelle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tagliatelle
💡 Nuance: Close to fettuccine. Traditional with meat ragù. Pappardelle is the extra-wide ribbon.
long flat ribbons from northern Italy, often egg pasta
Example: Tagliatelle al ragù is the Bologna pairing, not spaghetti bolognese.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tagliatelle🇫🇷 French: Tagliatelle
🇩🇪 German: Tagliatelle
🇮🇹 Italian: Tagliatelle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tagliatelle
💡 Nuance: Close to fettuccine. Traditional with meat ragù. Pappardelle is the extra-wide ribbon.
📏 Pappardelle
very wide flat ribbons for hearty sauces
Example: Wild mushroom sauce sat on pappardelle, not on angel hair.
🇫🇷 French: Pappardelle
🇩🇪 German: Pappardelle
🇮🇹 Italian: Pappardelle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pappardelle
💡 Nuance: The widest common ribbon. Lasagnette is a narrower lasagne-style strip, not this wide noodle.
very wide flat ribbons for hearty sauces
Example: Wild mushroom sauce sat on pappardelle, not on angel hair.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Pappardelle🇫🇷 French: Pappardelle
🇩🇪 German: Pappardelle
🇮🇹 Italian: Pappardelle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pappardelle
💡 Nuance: The widest common ribbon. Lasagnette is a narrower lasagne-style strip, not this wide noodle.
🕳️ Bucatini
long thick strands with a hole down the middle
Example: Bucatini all'amatriciana sucks sauce through the tube.
🇫🇷 French: Bucatini
🇩🇪 German: Bucatini
🇮🇹 Italian: Bucatini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bucatini
💡 Nuance: Spaghetti with a tunnel. Paccheri are huge short tubes, not long strands.
long thick strands with a hole down the middle
Example: Bucatini all'amatriciana sucks sauce through the tube.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Bucatini🇫🇷 French: Bucatini
🇩🇪 German: Bucatini
🇮🇹 Italian: Bucatini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bucatini
💡 Nuance: Spaghetti with a tunnel. Paccheri are huge short tubes, not long strands.
🧵 Vermicelli
thin long strands - how thin depends on the country
Example: In Italy vermicelli can be thicker than capellini; in some Asian shops the word means a very fine noodle.
🇫🇷 French: Vermicelle
🇩🇪 German: Vermicelli
🇮🇹 Italian: Vermicelli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vermicelli / aletria
💡 Nuance: Unstable thickness. Capellini is the reliable "angel hair" name in English.
thin long strands - how thin depends on the country
Example: In Italy vermicelli can be thicker than capellini; in some Asian shops the word means a very fine noodle.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Fideos / vermicelli🇫🇷 French: Vermicelle
🇩🇪 German: Vermicelli
🇮🇹 Italian: Vermicelli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vermicelli / aletria
💡 Nuance: Unstable thickness. Capellini is the reliable "angel hair" name in English.
👼 Capellini
extremely thin strands, often sold as angel hair
Example: Capellini overcooks in a minute if you walk away.
🇫🇷 French: Capellini / cheveux d’ange
🇩🇪 German: Capellini / Engelshaar
🇮🇹 Italian: Capellini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Capellini / cabelo de anjo
💡 Nuance: Light sauces only. A meat ragù wants tagliatelle or pappardelle.
extremely thin strands, often sold as angel hair
Example: Capellini overcooks in a minute if you walk away.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cabello de ángel / capellini🇫🇷 French: Capellini / cheveux d’ange
🇩🇪 German: Capellini / Engelshaar
🇮🇹 Italian: Capellini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Capellini / cabelo de anjo
💡 Nuance: Light sauces only. A meat ragù wants tagliatelle or pappardelle.
🪵 Short Tubes
🪵 Rigatoni
large short tubes with ridges on the outside
Example: Rigatoni caught the sausage ragù in every ridge.
🇫🇷 French: Rigatoni
🇩🇪 German: Rigatoni
🇮🇹 Italian: Rigatoni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Rigatoni
💡 Nuance: Wide and ridged. Penne is smaller and cut on a slant. Paccheri are even bigger.
large short tubes with ridges on the outside
Example: Rigatoni caught the sausage ragù in every ridge.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Rigatoni🇫🇷 French: Rigatoni
🇩🇪 German: Rigatoni
🇮🇹 Italian: Rigatoni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Rigatoni
💡 Nuance: Wide and ridged. Penne is smaller and cut on a slant. Paccheri are even bigger.
📐 Penne
short tubes cut on a diagonal at both ends
Example: Penne all'arrabbiata is a weeknight standard.
🇫🇷 French: Penne
🇩🇪 German: Penne
🇮🇹 Italian: Penne
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Penne
💡 Nuance: Quill-shaped ends. Penne rigate have ridges; lisce are smooth. Ziti are usually smooth and cut straight.
short tubes cut on a diagonal at both ends
Example: Penne all'arrabbiata is a weeknight standard.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Penne🇫🇷 French: Penne
🇩🇪 German: Penne
🇮🇹 Italian: Penne
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Penne
💡 Nuance: Quill-shaped ends. Penne rigate have ridges; lisce are smooth. Ziti are usually smooth and cut straight.
🧀 Ziti
smooth hollow tubes, often baked with sauce and cheese
Example: Baked ziti sat under mozzarella, not on a twirl of spaghetti.
🇫🇷 French: Ziti
🇩🇪 German: Ziti
🇮🇹 Italian: Ziti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ziti
💡 Nuance: Straight cut, usually smooth. The baked-casserole tube in American kitchens.
smooth hollow tubes, often baked with sauce and cheese
Example: Baked ziti sat under mozzarella, not on a twirl of spaghetti.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ziti🇫🇷 French: Ziti
🇩🇪 German: Ziti
🇮🇹 Italian: Ziti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ziti
💡 Nuance: Straight cut, usually smooth. The baked-casserole tube in American kitchens.
🥫 Manicotti
large tubes stuffed and baked - the Italian-American name
Example: The tray of manicotti was filled with ricotta.
🇫🇷 French: Manicotti
🇩🇪 German: Manicotti
🇮🇹 Italian: Manicotti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manicotti
💡 Nuance: Close to cannelloni. In Italy cannelloni is the usual word. Manicotti is what many U.S. boxes say.
large tubes stuffed and baked - the Italian-American name
Example: The tray of manicotti was filled with ricotta.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Manicotti🇫🇷 French: Manicotti
🇩🇪 German: Manicotti
🇮🇹 Italian: Manicotti
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manicotti
💡 Nuance: Close to cannelloni. In Italy cannelloni is the usual word. Manicotti is what many U.S. boxes say.
📜 Cannelloni
large tubes or rolled sheets, filled and baked in sauce
Example: Spinach-and-ricotta cannelloni went into the oven under béchamel.
🇫🇷 French: Cannelloni
🇩🇪 German: Cannelloni
🇮🇹 Italian: Cannelloni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Canelones
💡 Nuance: The filled baked tube in Italian. Ravioli are small sealed pillows, not open tubes.
large tubes or rolled sheets, filled and baked in sauce
Example: Spinach-and-ricotta cannelloni went into the oven under béchamel.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Canelones🇫🇷 French: Cannelloni
🇩🇪 German: Cannelloni
🇮🇹 Italian: Cannelloni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Canelones
💡 Nuance: The filled baked tube in Italian. Ravioli are small sealed pillows, not open tubes.
🥣 Macaroni
small curved tubes, the baked-cheese classic
Example: Macaroni and cheese uses elbows, not rigatoni.
🇫🇷 French: Macaroni
🇩🇪 German: Makkaroni
🇮🇹 Italian: Maccheroni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Macarrão
💡 Nuance: In English, usually elbow macaroni. Italian maccheroni is a wider family of short tubes.
small curved tubes, the baked-cheese classic
Example: Macaroni and cheese uses elbows, not rigatoni.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Macarrones🇫🇷 French: Macaroni
🇩🇪 German: Makkaroni
🇮🇹 Italian: Maccheroni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Macarrão
💡 Nuance: In English, usually elbow macaroni. Italian maccheroni is a wider family of short tubes.
⭕ Paccheri
very large tubes, smooth or ridged, for thick sauce or a stuffing
Example: Paccheri made the seafood sauce look small.
🇫🇷 French: Paccheri
🇩🇪 German: Paccheri
🇮🇹 Italian: Paccheri
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Paccheri
💡 Nuance: Bigger than rigatoni. Still a short tube, not a long bucatini strand.
very large tubes, smooth or ridged, for thick sauce or a stuffing
Example: Paccheri made the seafood sauce look small.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Paccheri🇫🇷 French: Paccheri
🇩🇪 German: Paccheri
🇮🇹 Italian: Paccheri
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Paccheri
💡 Nuance: Bigger than rigatoni. Still a short tube, not a long bucatini strand.
🌀 Twists, Bows & Shells
🌀 Fusilli
spiral pasta with a long corkscrew twist
Example: Fusilli held pesto in the grooves.
🇫🇷 French: Fusilli
🇩🇪 German: Fusilli
🇮🇹 Italian: Fusilli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fusilli
💡 Nuance: Open spiral. Rotini is the tighter American corkscrew. Cavatappi is a hollow spiral.
spiral pasta with a long corkscrew twist
Example: Fusilli held pesto in the grooves.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Fusilli🇫🇷 French: Fusilli
🇩🇪 German: Fusilli
🇮🇹 Italian: Fusilli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fusilli
💡 Nuance: Open spiral. Rotini is the tighter American corkscrew. Cavatappi is a hollow spiral.
🔁 Rotini
tightly twisted spiral, common in salads and chunky sauces
Example: The pasta salad was rotini, not shells.
🇫🇷 French: Rotini
🇩🇪 German: Rotini
🇮🇹 Italian: Rotini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Rotini
💡 Nuance: Tighter coil than many fusilli. In shops the two names sometimes swap.
tightly twisted spiral, common in salads and chunky sauces
Example: The pasta salad was rotini, not shells.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Rotini🇫🇷 French: Rotini
🇩🇪 German: Rotini
🇮🇹 Italian: Rotini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Rotini
💡 Nuance: Tighter coil than many fusilli. In shops the two names sometimes swap.
🎀 Farfalle
pasta pinched in the middle - bow-tie or butterfly
Example: Farfalle with peas and cream is a spring plate.
🇫🇷 French: Farfalle / papillons
🇩🇪 German: Farfalle / Schleifen
🇮🇹 Italian: Farfalle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Farfalle / gravatinhas
💡 Nuance: The pinch is the point. Not a tube and not a filled pasta.
pasta pinched in the middle - bow-tie or butterfly
Example: Farfalle with peas and cream is a spring plate.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Farfalle / lazos🇫🇷 French: Farfalle / papillons
🇩🇪 German: Farfalle / Schleifen
🇮🇹 Italian: Farfalle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Farfalle / gravatinhas
💡 Nuance: The pinch is the point. Not a tube and not a filled pasta.
👂 Orecchiette
small rounds shaped like little ears
Example: Orecchiette con cime di rapa is the Puglian pairing.
🇫🇷 French: Orecchiette
🇩🇪 German: Orecchiette
🇮🇹 Italian: Orecchiette
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Orecchiette
💡 Nuance: A cup that catches bits of vegetable. Cavatelli are small rolled shells, not ear discs.
small rounds shaped like little ears
Example: Orecchiette con cime di rapa is the Puglian pairing.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Orecchiette🇫🇷 French: Orecchiette
🇩🇪 German: Orecchiette
🇮🇹 Italian: Orecchiette
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Orecchiette
💡 Nuance: A cup that catches bits of vegetable. Cavatelli are small rolled shells, not ear discs.
➰ Cavatappi
short hollow pasta twisted like a corkscrew
Example: Cavatappi baked with cheese because the tube holds sauce inside.
🇫🇷 French: Cavatappi
🇩🇪 German: Cavatappi
🇮🇹 Italian: Cavatappi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cavatappi
💡 Nuance: Hollow spiral. Fusilli is usually a solid twist. The name means corkscrew.
short hollow pasta twisted like a corkscrew
Example: Cavatappi baked with cheese because the tube holds sauce inside.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cavatappi🇫🇷 French: Cavatappi
🇩🇪 German: Cavatappi
🇮🇹 Italian: Cavatappi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cavatappi
💡 Nuance: Hollow spiral. Fusilli is usually a solid twist. The name means corkscrew.
🌙 Cavatelli
small curved shells, like tiny hot-dog buns
Example: Handmade cavatelli took a thick broccoli sauce.
🇫🇷 French: Cavatelli
🇩🇪 German: Cavatelli
🇮🇹 Italian: Cavatelli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cavatelli
💡 Nuance: Rolled, not twisted. Gnocchi are dumplings, not this wheat shape.
small curved shells, like tiny hot-dog buns
Example: Handmade cavatelli took a thick broccoli sauce.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cavatelli🇫🇷 French: Cavatelli
🇩🇪 German: Cavatelli
🇮🇹 Italian: Cavatelli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cavatelli
💡 Nuance: Rolled, not twisted. Gnocchi are dumplings, not this wheat shape.
🐚 Conchiglie
shell-shaped pasta, sold in several sizes
Example: Jumbo shells were stuffed; small conchiglie went in the salad.
🇫🇷 French: Conchiglie / coquillettes
🇩🇪 German: Conchiglie / Muschelnudeln
🇮🇹 Italian: Conchiglie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Conchas / conchiglie
💡 Nuance: Size changes the job. Big shells get filled. Tiny ones act like cups in soup.
shell-shaped pasta, sold in several sizes
Example: Jumbo shells were stuffed; small conchiglie went in the salad.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Conchas / conchiglie🇫🇷 French: Conchiglie / coquillettes
🇩🇪 German: Conchiglie / Muschelnudeln
🇮🇹 Italian: Conchiglie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Conchas / conchiglie
💡 Nuance: Size changes the job. Big shells get filled. Tiny ones act like cups in soup.
🔹 Tiny, Sheets & Filled
🍚 Orzo
tiny rice-shaped pasta for soups, salads, and pilafs
Example: Lemon orzo sat next to the fish like a grain, but it was pasta.
🇫🇷 French: Orzo
🇩🇪 German: Orzo / Risoni
🇮🇹 Italian: Orzo / risoni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Orzo
💡 Nuance: Looks like rice. Cooks like pasta. Ditalini are tiny tubes, not grains.
tiny rice-shaped pasta for soups, salads, and pilafs
Example: Lemon orzo sat next to the fish like a grain, but it was pasta.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Orzo / risoni🇫🇷 French: Orzo
🇩🇪 German: Orzo / Risoni
🇮🇹 Italian: Orzo / risoni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Orzo
💡 Nuance: Looks like rice. Cooks like pasta. Ditalini are tiny tubes, not grains.
🔹 Ditalini
very small short tubes, mostly for soup
Example: Pasta e fagioli used ditalini, not spaghetti broken by hand.
🇫🇷 French: Ditalini
🇩🇪 German: Ditalini
🇮🇹 Italian: Ditalini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ditalini
💡 Nuance: Little thimbles. Macaroni is the larger curved cousin.
very small short tubes, mostly for soup
Example: Pasta e fagioli used ditalini, not spaghetti broken by hand.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ditalini🇫🇷 French: Ditalini
🇩🇪 German: Ditalini
🇮🇹 Italian: Ditalini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ditalini
💡 Nuance: Little thimbles. Macaroni is the larger curved cousin.
📄 Lasagne
broad flat sheets layered with sauce and filling
Example: The lasagne needed more sauce between the sheets.
🇫🇷 French: Lasagnes
🇩🇪 German: Lasagne
🇮🇹 Italian: Lasagne
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lasanha
💡 Nuance: Sheets. In English lasagna often names the baked dish. Lasagnette are narrower strips.
broad flat sheets layered with sauce and filling
Example: The lasagne needed more sauce between the sheets.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Lasaña🇫🇷 French: Lasagnes
🇩🇪 German: Lasagne
🇮🇹 Italian: Lasagne
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lasanha
💡 Nuance: Sheets. In English lasagna often names the baked dish. Lasagnette are narrower strips.
➖ Lasagnette
narrow lasagne-style ribbons or small sheets
Example: Lasagnette tossed with sauce, not stacked in a pan.
🇫🇷 French: Lasagnette
🇩🇪 German: Lasagnette
🇮🇹 Italian: Lasagnette
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lasagnette
💡 Nuance: Between lasagne sheets and pappardelle. Usually tossed, not layered.
narrow lasagne-style ribbons or small sheets
Example: Lasagnette tossed with sauce, not stacked in a pan.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Lasagnette🇫🇷 French: Lasagnette
🇩🇪 German: Lasagnette
🇮🇹 Italian: Lasagnette
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lasagnette
💡 Nuance: Between lasagne sheets and pappardelle. Usually tossed, not layered.
🥟 Ravioli
filled pasta - a stuffing sealed between two sheets
Example: Cheese ravioli in sage butter, not in a baked tube.
🇫🇷 French: Ravioli
🇩🇪 German: Ravioli
🇮🇹 Italian: Ravioli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ravióli
💡 Nuance: Sealed pillows. Tortellini are folded rings. Cannelloni are open tubes you stuff yourself.
filled pasta - a stuffing sealed between two sheets
Example: Cheese ravioli in sage butter, not in a baked tube.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Raviolis🇫🇷 French: Ravioli
🇩🇪 German: Ravioli
🇮🇹 Italian: Ravioli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ravióli
💡 Nuance: Sealed pillows. Tortellini are folded rings. Cannelloni are open tubes you stuff yourself.
💍 Tortellini
small ring-shaped stuffed pasta, tied to Bologna
Example: Tortellini in brodo is the classic small-ring soup.
🇫🇷 French: Tortellini
🇩🇪 German: Tortellini
🇮🇹 Italian: Tortellini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tortellini
💡 Nuance: Small navel shape. Tortelloni are the bigger version of the same fold.
small ring-shaped stuffed pasta, tied to Bologna
Example: Tortellini in brodo is the classic small-ring soup.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tortellini🇫🇷 French: Tortellini
🇩🇪 German: Tortellini
🇮🇹 Italian: Tortellini
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tortellini
💡 Nuance: Small navel shape. Tortelloni are the bigger version of the same fold.
⭕ Tortelloni
larger stuffed pasta in the same folded shape as tortellini
Example: Ricotta tortelloni need a butter sauce, not a crowded broth.
🇫🇷 French: Tortelloni
🇩🇪 German: Tortelloni
🇮🇹 Italian: Tortelloni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tortelloni
💡 Nuance: Same family, bigger bite. Often cheese or greens, served as a plate, not in soup.
larger stuffed pasta in the same folded shape as tortellini
Example: Ricotta tortelloni need a butter sauce, not a crowded broth.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tortelloni🇫🇷 French: Tortelloni
🇩🇪 German: Tortelloni
🇮🇹 Italian: Tortelloni
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tortelloni
💡 Nuance: Same family, bigger bite. Often cheese or greens, served as a plate, not in soup.
🥔 Gnocchi
small dumplings, usually potato, not rolled wheat pasta dough
Example: Potato gnocchi with sage butter is a dumpling plate next to the pasta list.
🇫🇷 French: Gnocchis
🇩🇪 German: Gnocchi
🇮🇹 Italian: Gnocchi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Nhoque
💡 Nuance: On the menu with pasta. Technically a dumpling. Cavatelli are wheat shapes that only look similar.
small dumplings, usually potato, not rolled wheat pasta dough
Example: Potato gnocchi with sage butter is a dumpling plate next to the pasta list.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ñoquis🇫🇷 French: Gnocchis
🇩🇪 German: Gnocchi
🇮🇹 Italian: Gnocchi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Nhoque
💡 Nuance: On the menu with pasta. Technically a dumpling. Cavatelli are wheat shapes that only look similar.
🧠 Useful Distinctions
🍝 Spaghetti vs. Linguine vs. Fettuccine vs. Tagliatelle vs. Pappardelle
Spaghetti is round. Linguine is flattened. Fettuccine and tagliatelle are ribbons (tagliatelle is the northern egg one). Pappardelle is the extra-wide ribbon.
Spaghetti is round. Linguine is flattened. Fettuccine and tagliatelle are ribbons (tagliatelle is the northern egg one). Pappardelle is the extra-wide ribbon.
👼 Capellini vs. Vermicelli
Capellini is reliably angel-hair thin. Vermicelli changes thickness by country. Do not treat the names as twins.
Capellini is reliably angel-hair thin. Vermicelli changes thickness by country. Do not treat the names as twins.
📐 Penne vs. Ziti vs. Rigatoni vs. Paccheri
Penne is slant-cut, often ridged. Ziti is straight and usually smooth, often baked. Rigatoni is larger and ridged. Paccheri are huge.
Penne is slant-cut, often ridged. Ziti is straight and usually smooth, often baked. Rigatoni is larger and ridged. Paccheri are huge.
🥫 Manicotti vs. Cannelloni
Same job: big stuffed baked tubes. Cannelloni is the Italian name. Manicotti is the common U.S. box name.
Same job: big stuffed baked tubes. Cannelloni is the Italian name. Manicotti is the common U.S. box name.
🌀 Fusilli vs. Rotini vs. Cavatappi
Fusilli is an open spiral. Rotini is a tighter corkscrew. Cavatappi is a hollow spiral tube.
Fusilli is an open spiral. Rotini is a tighter corkscrew. Cavatappi is a hollow spiral tube.
🥟 Ravioli vs. Tortellini vs. Tortelloni
Ravioli are sealed squares or rounds. Tortellini are small folded rings. Tortelloni are the larger rings.
Ravioli are sealed squares or rounds. Tortellini are small folded rings. Tortelloni are the larger rings.
🥔 Gnocchi vs. pasta
Gnocchi sit on pasta menus. Most gnocchi are potato dumplings, not extruded wheat shapes.
Gnocchi sit on pasta menus. Most gnocchi are potato dumplings, not extruded wheat shapes.
💬 Everyday Pasta Phrases
🍝 Long pasta for a thin sauce. Short pasta for a chunky one.
shape decides the pairing
🇫🇷 Les pâtes longues pour une sauce fine. Les pâtes courtes pour une sauce morceaux.
🇩🇪 Lange Nudeln zur dünnen Soße. Kurze zur stückigen.
🇮🇹 Pasta lunga per sugo fluido. Pasta corta per sugo a pezzi.
🇵🇹 Massa longa para molho fino. Massa curta para molho com pedaços.
shape decides the pairing
Show translations
🇪🇸 Pasta larga para salsa fina. Pasta corta para una salsa con trozos.🇫🇷 Les pâtes longues pour une sauce fine. Les pâtes courtes pour une sauce morceaux.
🇩🇪 Lange Nudeln zur dünnen Soße. Kurze zur stückigen.
🇮🇹 Pasta lunga per sugo fluido. Pasta corta per sugo a pezzi.
🇵🇹 Massa longa para molho fino. Massa curta para molho com pedaços.
👼 Angel hair will not hold a meat ragù.
capellini vs. a wide ribbon
🇫🇷 Les cheveux d’ange ne portent pas un ragù de viande.
🇩🇪 Engelshaar trägt kein Fleischragù.
🇮🇹 I capellini non reggono un ragù di carne.
🇵🇹 Cabelo de anjo não segura um ragù de carne.
capellini vs. a wide ribbon
Show translations
🇪🇸 El cabello de ángel no sostiene un ragú de carne.🇫🇷 Les cheveux d’ange ne portent pas un ragù de viande.
🇩🇪 Engelshaar trägt kein Fleischragù.
🇮🇹 I capellini non reggono un ragù di carne.
🇵🇹 Cabelo de anjo não segura um ragù de carne.
🧀 That’s a baked ziti night, not a spaghetti night.
casserole tube vs. long strand
🇫🇷 C’est une soirée ziti au four, pas spaghetti.
🇩🇪 Das ist ein Ziti-Auflauf-Abend, kein Spaghetti-Abend.
🇮🇹 È una serata ziti al forno, non spaghetti.
🇵🇹 É noite de ziti no forno, não de espaguete.
casserole tube vs. long strand
Show translations
🇪🇸 Es noche de ziti al horno, no de espaguetis.🇫🇷 C’est une soirée ziti au four, pas spaghetti.
🇩🇪 Das ist ein Ziti-Auflauf-Abend, kein Spaghetti-Abend.
🇮🇹 È una serata ziti al forno, non spaghetti.
🇵🇹 É noite de ziti no forno, não de espaguete.
🥔 Gnocchi are dumplings. They just live on the pasta menu.
potato, not a wheat shape
🇫🇷 Les gnocchis sont des dumplings. Ils sont juste sur la carte pâtes.
🇩🇪 Gnocchi sind Klöße. Sie stehen nur auf der Pastakarte.
🇮🇹 Gli gnocchi sono gnocchi, non un formato di pasta di semola.
🇵🇹 Nhoque é dumplings. Só mora no cardápio de massa.
potato, not a wheat shape
Show translations
🇪🇸 Los ñoquis son dumplings. Solo viven en el menú de pasta.🇫🇷 Les gnocchis sont des dumplings. Ils sont juste sur la carte pâtes.
🇩🇪 Gnocchi sind Klöße. Sie stehen nur auf der Pastakarte.
🇮🇹 Gli gnocchi sono gnocchi, non un formato di pasta di semola.
🇵🇹 Nhoque é dumplings. Só mora no cardápio de massa.
🏆 Final Practice
English in the Real World:
Read the situation. Choose the more precise pasta word.
Read the situation. Choose the more precise pasta word.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%